1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel resistive material for manufacturing thin film resistors and to a method of making such a material. More particularly, it relates to a resistive film composition consisting essentially of AlN and solid solution of TiN and ZrN and to a method of making this material by cathodic sputtering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Considerable effort has been devoted to developing highly resistive thin film resistors with good electrical stability. Thin films of refractory metals, alloys, nitride silicides, oxides and metal-dielectric mixtures (cermets) have been evaluated for use in manufacturing the highly resistive thin film resistors. Among them, thin films of nitrides such as TaN and TiN having a high melting point have been felt to have practical importance in the manufacturing of the precise thin film resistors with good electric stability. However, these nitride films according to the prior art have resistances in only a narrow range, such as from 100 to 300 .mu..OMEGA.cm.sub.x in specific resistivities.
The present invention provides a novel resistive material consisting essentially of AlN and a solid solution of TiN and ZrN for the manufacturing of the precise thin film resistors having a wide range of resistivities and good electrical stability. Those skilled in the art will recognize that this novel material according to the present invention is indispensable to the manufacturing of precise thin film resistors having a wide range of resistivities.